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European Commission > Investing in European Research > European Technology Platforms (ETPs) > Newsletter March 2010 |
Conference on ETPs and societal challenges Societal challenges This two-day conference will bring together 350 representatives of industry, academia, civil society, EU member-states and Commission departments. To read more click here Launch of the Future Internet public-private partnershipThe European Commission will launch a public-private partnership on Future Internet, aimed at raising the efficiency of business processes and the activity of infrastructures and applications of important social value. The PPP addresses service architectures and platforms, encouraging cross-sector industrial partnerships, involving users and public authorities at all levels: local, regional and national. The partnership will be launched in the context of the forthcoming Spanish EU Presidency high-level conference "The European RTD Framework Programmes: From Economic Recovery to Sustainability", taking place on April 13th and 14th 2010 in Valencia. It builds on the experience of the three PPPs launched in the Commission's recovery package: Factories of the Future, Energy-efficient Buildings and the European Green Car Initiative. Read more about Future Internet and about the Valencia conference Photonics21: towards a French national platformThe French national optics and photonics committee (Comité national d’Optique et de Photonique) has just launched an initiative with the support of the French government to involve the French optics and photonics community at the European level. France is now on a clear path towards the creation of a French photonics technology platform in the near future. To read more click here Mineral Resources ETP collaborates with Water Supply and Sanitation ETPThe European Technology Platforms on Sustainable Mineral Resources and Water Supply and Sanitation met on February 12th in Brussels, Belgium. Opportunities for cooperation have been found regarding water treatment process improvement, water recycling as well as the restoration of degraded zones (old mining sites). A framework for cooperation will be submitted to the boards of each platform before the end of March. A workshop between experts of the two platforms will be set up in April to discuss all the challenges and produce a roadmap for recommendations. To read more click here Call for proposals concerning the European Metrology Research ProgrammeProposals are invited for metrology for industry and metrology for environment. To read more click here Clean Sky call ready for proposalsProposals can be submitted until April 27th at 17h00 Brussels time. European Parliament approves new CommissionOn February 9th Members of European Parliament approved 26 candidates for the European Commission, enabling President Barroso’s new team to get down to business. The new Commission was supposed to take office in November 2009 but the appointment was held up by delayed ratification of the Lisbon treaty and by the withdrawal of the Bulgarian candidate after her confirmation hearing in January. Rumiana Jeleva was replaced by World Bank vice-president Kristalina Georgieva, who sat for her hearing in parliament last week. To read more click here Europe 2020: Commission proposes new economic strategy in EuropeThe European Commission has launched the Europe 2020 Strategy to overcome the crisis and prepare the European economy for the next decade. The Commission identifies three key drivers for growth: smart growth (fostering knowledge, innovation, education and digital society), sustainable growth (making our production more resource efficient while boosting our competitiveness) and inclusive growth (raising participation in the labour market, the acquisition of skills and the fight against poverty). Read more on the 2020 Strategy Results of the public consultation on innovation policyIn response to its public consultation on community innovation policy, the European Commission has received 215 responses from universities, research institutions, companies, governments, non-governmental organisations and individuals from European Union and elsewhere. 27% of the responses were from companies or business associations. You can find more information on the results of this consultation clicking here European Commission hosts ICT for Energy Efficiency eventTThe European Commission hosted the ICT4 EE 2010 event on February 23th and 24th The goal was to support the role of information and communication technologies in achieving an energy-efficient and low carbon economy. The event builds on a Commission Recommendation from October 2009 which calls on the ICT sector to agree on common methodologies for measuring energy consumption and carbon emissions by 2010. To read more click here Demonstration of Galileo applications in BrusselsThe public will be able to discover astonishing satellite navigation applications which can, for example, guide a boat into harbour, monitor patients suffering from Alzheimer's, rescue people lost in the mountains or offer assisted steering to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The event, which will take place from 3 to 5 March in Charlemagne and on the Berlaymont Esplanade, aims at presenting the results of research funded by the Framework Programme. To read more click here Commission awards contracts to make Galileo operational in 2014The contract for the system support services is awarded to ThalesAleniaSpace of Italy, the contract for a first order of 14 satellites to OHB System AG of Germany and the contract for the launch services to Arianespace of France. This will allow the initial deployment and service provision of Europe’s satellite navigation system as of early 2014. The remaining three procurement contracts, for the ground mission infrastructure, the ground control infrastructure and the operations should be awarded by mid-2010. For more information on Galileo, please visit this website One-stop helpdesk for funding for motorways of the seaThe European Commission has launched a one-stop helpdesk on funding possibilities for "motorways of the sea" projects. Although motorways of the sea is already supported by the TEN-T and Marco Polo programmes, it also benefits from other potential resources, such as the European Investment Bank, Structural Funds, the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance as well as national funding. Before today there was no single guiding source of information on these various programmes, making it difficult for operators who intend to launch a new project to combine funding from different sources. The service provided at this stage will be web-based at www.mos-helpdesk.eu . Questions can be sent by e-mail to ec-mos-helpdesk@ec.europa.eu and users can expect a reply within a week. Read more on Motorways of the Sea and Marco Polo ARTEMIS (embedded systems) EBTP (biofuels) ERRAC (rail) ERTRAC (road transport) SMARTGRIDS FOOD FOR LIFE FTC (textiles) GAH (animal health) ETPIS (industrial safety) eMOBILITY NEM (software) Renewable heating and cooling SUSCHEM (Chemistry) WSSTP (Water supply and sanitation) WATERBORNE (water transport) |
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